For any travel information you can stop at [http://blackcheap.jimdo.com/ Ranong Coffee and Information], located on your left just as you walk out from the bus station to the main road. The Thai owner, Nong, is very helpful and speaks fluent English. They also offer free luggage storage.

For any travel information you can stop at [http://blackcheap.jimdo.com/ Ranong Coffee and Information], located on your left just as you walk out from the bus station to the main road. The Thai owner, Nong, is very helpful and speaks fluent English. They also offer free luggage storage.

Understand

A small border city with limited tourist interest and hence still quaintly Thai. Border access via boat to Kawthoung in Myanmar makes Ranong a popular visa run destination.

Ranong is the first southern province on the west coast, located 568 km from Bangkok. It is known for the long rainy period, which lasts for 8 months each year. Ranong occupies an area of 3,298 km², with the Kra Isthmus which is the narrowest part of the Malay Peninsula, and is bordered by Myanmar and the Indian Ocean to the west. Within its compact area, Ranong contains various natural attractions and is blessed with hot springs and unspoiled mangrove forests.

The City centre is actually 7Km from the ocean,

Get in

By plane

Nok Air flies daily from Bangkok Don Muang (DMK) to Ranong at 16.30. From October-April it also flies from Bangkok Don Muang (DMK) to Ranong at 08:00.

The airport is 23km south of town and is well-served by taxis.

Train

Mini-bus

Mini-buses from Chumphon depart roughly hour from 6am to 5pm from Thatapoa (actually Thatapao) Rd in Chumphon, close to the Suriwong Hotel. Cost 120 THB and take around 2 hours.
They stop at the out of town bus station just off Highway 4.

By bus

The bus from Chumphon's central bus terminal stops at a place some 2km out of town at the booking agency for this particular bus company (Rangsit Tours), and just to the left of Highway 4, the main road north/south. A couple of hundred metres distant is the main bus station.

For any travel information you can stop at Ranong Coffee and Information, located on your left just as you walk out from the bus station to the main road. The Thai owner, Nong, is very helpful and speaks fluent English. They also offer free luggage storage.

If coming from Prachuap, the bus will cost 370 baht and takes 6 hours.

By boat

Hundreds of longtail boats connect Ranong with Kawthoung in Myanmar, and take about 20 minutes to cross. They can be chartered individually or shared with other travellers and/or locals.

Get around

There are motorcycle taxis from the bus station which will take you wherever for a price. You can also jump into a Songtheaw to take you into town for about 15 baht (2013)

This small city is easily walked around, but if you want to go further, then you will need to use a songteow. There are different coloured ones, each taking a different route. If you are unsure, stop one and ask.

Hourly boats (a little larger, also taking about 20 minutes) ferry gamblers to and from Thahtay Kyun, a small island adjacent to Kawthoung where the Andaman Club [7] casino and golf resort has its own immigration facilities.

See

Do

Ranong's famous Bald Hill

A Visa Run - is the most likely reason people visit Ranong. To start the process, catch a songthaew (#3 and #4)from the market ( there is a bank nearby and it open 7 days a week from 09:00 to15:00 and will give you "new" USD10 bill at bank rate) on the main road in Town Center, or take songthaew #6 (South bound) on Route 4 right next to bus terminal. It costs 15 baht (Jan 2014, some drivers "forget" to give you change if you give your driver a 20 baht bill) to get to Saphan Pla, the fishing port providing the link to Kawthoung (aka Victoria Point), a fishing town in Myanmar. Most songthaews end up here eventually, though some follow a longer route than others. You get off when your driver pay a toll fee near a big fuel station on your right. The pier and immigration office is right behind the fuel station. A bank (Mon-Fri 08:30-15:30) is on the other of the main road. Your first stop is to go the immigration office where you must formally exit Thailand. Get your passport stamped and then head for the pier.

It is likely you will be offered a boat by touts. A longtail boat should cost around 300 baht (return), whether you're on your own or in a group. The price you pay for a boat should be negotiated before you get in: there are reports of tourists being charged up to 1,000 baht. If you want to be stubborn you can take one of the longtail boats with all the Burmese people in it and can get a trip one-way for 50THB (circa 2012). They will try to say no at first but make sure you bring two 50THB bills (one for the ride there, one for the ride back) and do not ask for change or they will try to keep the change. There is also a big boat which is used by more organised visa runs, and a small-scale trip via longtail usually coordinated by a white haired chap in a gold coloured pickup who hangs around the bus station. Longtails are faster and fewer people mean less waiting time at the various immigration points. The big boat is slower and takes longer because of the number of passports to be checked, but can work out cheaper.

Entry into Myanmar costs US$10, and notes should be in good condition, especially with no writing on them. Local touts sell US dollar notes but at bad exchange rates. There is a bank in front of the pier, you can exchange your money there with normal exchange rates. On weekends the Myanmar authorities also require photocopies of your passport done by a small shop at the immigration office for 10 baht.

The boat will first go to a Thai Immigration checkpoint, and the driver will take your passport to be inspected, then to a Myanmar Immigration checkpoint a few km further on. For some reason they don't need to see your passport there. When you arrive in Kawthoung there will be plenty of touts offering cheap whiskey/cigarettes/guided tours. You must first enter the country by going to the immigration office to the left as you exit the short pier to pay US$10 and tell the officials, who speak English, that you're a day-tripper. Two weeks visa are sold, which could be useful as Kawthoung could be well worth a few days. If you're just staying the day, Myanmar immigration will stamp you in and out in one go so you won't have to return on your way out.

You'll probably be offered counterfeit Valium and Viagra by touts, and steered towards shops selling cheap alcohol and cigarettes. There is a limit on what can be brought back legally, and the boat may be checked on the return journey. You'll also be offered a one-hour sight-seeing trip on a moped from the touts. At the end of the trip you may be told that the price you agreed was for the moped only and that you need to pay further for the guide himself. It's well worth spending some time in the village even if you're just doing the day trip.

After the boat trip back you must return to the Thai immigration office to formally re-enter the country.

Diving

Diving off the Similan- and Surin Islands in Thailand or Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar - Diving is another activity that starts from Ranong. Although most companies who offer dive tours to the Surin Islands- and Similan Islands are situated further south on the west coast of Thailand in Khao Lak and Phuket, you can also go diving in these areas from Ranong. Also, famous dive sites like Richelieu Rock, Ko Tachai and Ko Bon are included in the liveaboard tours. In Ranong are a few liveaboard dive companies, of which The Smiling Seahorse] and Aladdin Dive Safari are best known for their consistent tour schedule and various dive tours. You can also join dive tours to the remote and fantastic dive sites of the Mergui Archipelago in Burma. The dive season runs yearly from the end of Oct until May. You can also learn diving or enhance your diving skills by joining a PADI dive course at the dive centres in Ranong. Some courses are also given during the liveaboard dive tours.

The Smiling Seahorse, 170 Ruangrat Road, 85000 Ranong (on the main street), ☎+668-601-106-14 ([email protected]), [1]. offers dive cruises for up to 12 divers. It is managed by a french couple and is specialized in cruising Myanmar.

Snorkeling

The Surin Islands have great snorkeling and marine life. To preserve this marine life and enjoy your time on the water even more – here are some tips for responsible snorkeling practices:

Practice at first over sand patches and away from the coral

Get comfortable with buoyancy control and finning techniques.

Be mindful of where your fins are to avoid accidentally hitting the reef or stirring up sand.

Snorkel carefully near the Reef:

Move slowly and deliberately in the water, relax and take your time – to remain horizontal in the water, and refrain from standing up.

Do not snorkel into areas where the water is less than one meter deep.

Do not touch the walls of semi-confined areas (for example, small swim-throughs and overhangs), never squeeze through a small area.

Use rest stations or other flotation aids (for example, float lines, swimming noodles, and flotation vests) if you need to rest while snorkeling.

Do not lean on, hold onto, or touch any part of the reef or moving animals when taking underwater photographs.

Be mindful of all marine life:

Avoid making sudden or loud noises underwater.

Avoid chasing or attempting to ride or grab free-swimming animals (such as turtles, whales, and sea snakes). Avoid blocking their path or making them change direction.

Do not touching or relocating any animals or plants.

Stay more than one meter away from giant clams.

Do not feed the fish.

Do not collect any shells or ‘souvenirs’.

Buy

Durian vendor on Market Street

Eat

There are plenty of restaurants along the main city road (Ruengrat Road). Many of these are foreigner oriented, but there are also Thai ones.

Tha Mueng Food Court, Tha Mueng Rd (Follow Tha Mueng Rd in the directions to the pier passing Ruangrat Rd. The red Songthaews also pass it while going to the pier.). Several Thai dishes to choose from in a compact area. Drinks and tables to sit down are available as well. If you like Som Tam, you will love the mangosteen salat at the stall on the left called nam mangosteen. The owner speaks good english, so it is no problem tell her how spicy you like it.

Ranong Hideaway, 323/7 Ruangrat Rd (on the main street), ☎+66 77 832730, [2]. 10:00-23:00. (formerly Sophon's Hideaway) This restaurant has been established since 2004 and has a good reputation. Popular with affluent Thais, and the locals appear to enjoy mixing with foreigners. Serves both Western and Thai food.

J&T restaurant, Crossing of Market rd. and Luwang rd.. Lovely small air conditioned restaurant which is very popular among Thais. They now a have menu in English and serve some European dishes. Prices are anything between 40 and 70 baht per dish.

Drink

JaJaa Coffee. Just around the corner from the bus station. Coffee is good and they have free Wi-Fi, but use of electricity has a 20 baht charge. Food portions may seem small for a farang, and breakfast is just one piece of toast, a sloppy fried egg, a square of ham and a few small pieces of sausage.

Sleep

There are plenty of hotels within the city, and many of these are along the main road (Ruengrat Road).
Also there are a couple close to the ocean.

Dahla House, Ruengrat Road (Is along the main road), ☎077 812959. This hotel is a series of bungalows. Aircon, hot water, TV, bar fridge and quite OK for the price of B500. Has a decent American breakfast at a reasonable price.

Budget

Bakhla Bar, (on Market Street two doors down from the 7-11, opposite the first main right turn). Mattress-on-floor rooms with shared bathrooms. Update March 2015 : We did not find the place anymore at the site described, it was a lodge instead. 100-120 baht.

Casa Theresa, small street off Tha Mueng Rd (Coming from the bus station cross the bridge and turn left after the night market into Tha Mueng Rd. Follow the street for about 1km passing the Tha Mueng Food Court and take a right into a small street next to the SCB Bank. The entry of the guesthouse is at the end of the road to your right with a small open sign on the gate.). Quite and hidden guesthouse with big attached garden. The profit of the guesthouse seems to go to a local foundation for people with disabillities.double fan/AC 300/500 THB (August 2015).

Kiwi Orchid, (yellow building close to the bus station behind the tourist information building). Don't buy boat tickets from here, as you will be charged 100 baht per person to be driven 10 minutes to the ferry. Walk round to the bus station and take songthaew No. 2 to close to the ferry stop. Also, do not book accommodation on the islands through them, as contrary to what you might be told there is plenty of accommodation available.300 baht for a room (double/twin) with fan and shared bathroom (no hot water) as at March 2013. There is a good and cheap restaurant at the hotel. Excellent for backpackers..

Sintavee Hotel, (on Market St, 100 m north of the market). Chinese-run and sometimes used for short-time action by the local working girls and their clients. Room in the back quiet. Large double room, private bathroom for 240 baht (February 2015).

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!